International partners meet in the Rhondda
A conference held recently at the Rhondda Heritage Park was an opportunity for delegates from international partners of the Workers’ Education Association (WEA) and Sazani Associates to review their progress in the teaching of global active citizenship and food sovereignty. The event, coordinated by the WEA and international NGO Sazani Associates, featured talks on the importance of ecologically responsible development and sustainable livelihood strategies and also gave delegates the opportunity to take part in workshops and demonstrations of the teaching toolkits developed over the last year, including instruction on pod casting and radio production. It represented an ideal opportunity for Welsh partners to feedback to their international counterparts, while promoting the principles of global citizenship and shared responsibility.
The meeting, attended by delegates from organizations from across Europe and the Global South, was part of an ongoing project, coordinated in Wales by the WEA and Sazani Associates, to improve curricula in both primary and adult learning and in rural development- giving context to global issues and raising awareness of the importance of rural livelihoods and sustainable development on a global scale.
The two day conference featured activities which aimed to consolidate the projects training toolkit and ‘edukit’, such as pod casting and radio editing as well as instruction on good sustainability practises with an emphasis upon the importance of capital assets in achieving well rounded and sustainable development.
Talks from European delegates brought all of the partner organizations up to date with the project’s achievements while an address from Assembly member Leanne Wood reminded everybody of the context of self sufficiency within which the conference was held. Her talk emphasised the importance of rural livelihoods and local production and cited Cuba’s allotment scheme in the wake of their ‘peak oil’ crisis as an example of sustainable land reform.
Sazani Associates are based in Pembroke and are actively involved in promoting the sustainable development of rural livelihoods. They are committed to promoting active global citizenship through education as a means to developing awareness of sustainability and environmental responsibility.
Sazani Associates conducts research and development projects worldwide.
Below we have listed a selection of current and past research projects and development initiatives.
For more information on any of these projects or our other work, please contact us directly at info@sazaniassociates.org.uk
UK-based initiatives
- Education for Rural Livelihoods’ and Food Sovereignty (ERLAFS)
We are currently coordinating this school-links and curriculum development project between Wales and Zanzibar, working with over thirty schools across West Wales and the Valleys and Zanzibar. Funding for this initiative comes from DFID, GTCW and LEAs. - Global Learners as Educators in Wales (GLEW)
A major DFID-funded project that we are co-ordinating to increase the capacity and capability of teachers and adult educators in Wales. The overall aim is to develop a ‘Globally Minded Approach’ to education. Working in partnership with WEA South Wales and partners in Italy, France, Tanzania, Senegal, Ecuador and Peru through Europe Aid funding secured through a sister project Rural Education for Food Security and Active Global Citizenship. - Rural Livelihoods Activity Pack
Sazani Associates have developing an activity pack for community events to raise awareness of the importance of sustainable rural livelihoods, funded by the Pembrokeshire Agricultural Society. - Chartered Institute of Housing – Accredited Tenant Empowerment Agents (Wales Assembly Government)
In this capacity our associates provide support to social housing residents to improve their quality of life. Download report >>
UK research papers
- ‘Attitudes towards Migrant Workers in mid Ulster, Northern Ireland’ 2006/07. Download paper >>
- ‘Community Perceptions of Milford Haven Port Authority, Wales’ 2007/08. Download paper >>
- ‘UNESCO(UK) School Linking Taskforce’ – research project to assess the value of school links on achieving Education for All (EFA)
EU and overseas projects
- MEES Series of Geography texts books, Zanzibar (2008)
Commissioned by the Ministry of Education, Zanzibar, the production of educational material for Zanzibar secondary school curriculum funded by UNFPA. Textbook covers: Download Forms 1 & 2 >>, Download Forms 3 & 4 >> - Community & Indigenous Peoples Plan (SIA), Cameroon (2007)
Commissioned by the World Bank, Social Impact Assessment of AES Kribi Power Project on the Bakola Forest People. Download report >> - Pro-poor Tourism Programme, Zanzibar, Tanzania, (2006-07)
Technical advisors supporting the capacity building and technical capability of the local partners involved in this project. - Education for Rural People (ERP), International (2004-2006)
Provision of technical support to FAO/UNESCO Education for Rural People Flagship Wales Italy and Tanzania. - Social Forestry & Community Engagement Programme Belize (2005)
Technical support – providing baseline data for engaging young people in community and social forestry. - FAO and UNESCO Education for Rural People Flagship. (2004-05)
Assessment of Education in Zanzibar for Rural People. Download report >> - The Education for Rural Livelihoods and Food Sovereignty (ERLAFS) project, has been featured in the UNESCO 2009 publication ‘Second Collection of Good Practices: Education for Sustainable Development’. ERLAFS aims to develop shared learning opportunities between secondary and primary school in Wales and Zanzibar and to foster the professional development of teachers in support of poverty reduction. The project has been included as a model of good practice in Education for Sustainable Development for its focus on capacity building both inside and outside the classroom. To download an electronic version of the publication, please click http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0018/001812/181270E.pdf
